Many of the best JRPGs thrive on the strength of their characters. Dreams Uncorporated and SYCK's Cris Tales was not developed in Japan, but it was designed as a love letter to that genre incorporating the Colombian culture of its creators. With influences ranging from Final Fantasy to Shonen manga and Walt Disney movies, it presents players with a unique spread of party members.
Though some criticisms were levied at the game for technical issues at launch, Dreams Uncorporated has spent time polishing the experience. Now that Cris Tales is the Epic Games Store's free title for the week of February 24, many are likely giving it another shot. Since only three party members can be in battle at any given time, new fans should know what each character brings to its turn-based combat with action commands before settling on a team. Spoilers ahead for major plot developments in Cris Tales.
Crisbell
Crisbell is Cris Tales' chief protagonist - a burgeoning young Time Mage pulled from her ordinary life and tasked with awakening her powers to stop the Time Empress. Every Time Mage in Cris Tales' universe has a specialty, and for Crisbell it's the ability to see the past, present, and future at once. While exploring towns this manifests in the game's trisected visuals that players can explore using Matias the talking frog, but in battle Crisbell can use her Sword of Time to send enemies into the past or future.
While players can swap out most party members, Crisbell is required for every battle; not unlike a lord in Fire Emblem games. Most other characters' mechanics revolve around her ability to manipulate time, but beyond that Crisbell can learn a range of support spells to heal, buff her allies, or debuff enemies.
Christopher
Christopher is the one Space Mage in Crisbell's party, and her first ally after he helps stop a Goblin attack in her hometown of Narim. His shield can be split into a pair of bladed gauntlets for physical attacks, but his strength primarily comes from elemental attacks based on fire, water, and lightning. Many of these afflict status effects that may further impact enemies as they travel through time.
Willhelm
Willhelm is the third character to join the party, serving as Crisbell's magic teacher; an old Time Mage trapped in a young body to avoid imminent demise from the effects of a malicious spell. His scythe has a blade that can extend and retract on a string, yet his physical prowess is among the worst. Willhelm instead thrives on the power of his Yucandra: plant-like beings based on the Colombian yucca that can be planted and grown in an instant with Crisbell's powers, either impacting a group of enemies or buffing the party.
JKR-721
JKR-721, affectionately referred to as K, is an ancient android known as one of the Witnesses - though it is not revealed what he was a witness to until late into the plot. His demeanor is largely nonchalant, if curious about the humans he accompanies, but this belies his abilities as an aggressive physical attacker. K can move at blinding speeds to either deliver a barrage of punches or move opponents around the battlefield. However, he overheats and needs to vent his systems unless Crisbell uses her Regression magic. While the android has no mana, he can use some lightning-based spells.
Zas
Zas joins the party in the town of Cinder and is described as "The Wild Card," her skillsets focused entirely around luck and gambling - inspired by Final Fantasy 6's Setzer, according to Dreams Uncorporated's CEO. Her green bag is a literal bottomless bag of tricks that she reaches into and tosses whatever she finds; sometimes a hard-hitting weapon, others a status-inflicting hammer. Her magic abilities use roulette wheels, which can have powerful effects that change based on time period but are unpredictable.
Kari Hudo
At one point in Cris Tales' story, antagonist Kari Hudo (revealed to be Zas' older sister) is reverted back to her childhood self by Crisbell in a blind rage, stricken with grief. Zas is able to guide her sister onto a better path without the influence of the Time Empress, and Kari offers her ability to mimic enemies with her Soularium. She can capture any non-boss enemy (reminiscent of Pokemon) and call upon their soul using a deck of Tarot-style cards that change to reflect whether Crisbell has cut into the past or future.
Cris Tales is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It is available for free on the Epic Games Store until March 3, 2022.